Fans greet Michigan basketball as team returns to Ann Arbor

The Michigan basketball team exits the bus from the airport to Crisler Center on Tuesday, April 3, 2018. Video by Chris Nelsen/Special to DFP

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Michigan basketball coach John Beilein and his wife, Kathleen, head into the terminal at Willow Run Airport in Belleville on Tuesday, April 3, 2018. Michigan lost in the NCAA title game to Villanova the night before.(Photo: Eric Seals, Detroit Free Press)Buy Photo

Michigan's basketball team arrived back in Ann Arbor on Tuesday to some fanfare after losing to Villanova in Monday's NCAA title game in San Antonio.

The Wolverines landed at Willow Run Airport in Ypsilanti around 3 p.m., then boarded a bus to Crisler Center, arriving about an hour later.

Even in cold and rainy conditions, a small gathering of fans and U-M athletic staff members cheered on the team when it exited the bus.

“It means a lot, especially on a cold day,” said Michigan forward Isaiah Livers, wearing a hooded sweatshirt. “It’s raining outside; you guys are all sitting here waiting for the bus to arrive.

“You hear a bunch of clapping and ‘Go Blue!’ chants. It’s something we want to hear when we get back, especially after a loss.”

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The Michigan basketball team exits its plane at Willow Run Airport in Belleville on Tuesday, April 3, 2018. Michigan lost in the NCAA title game to Villanova the night before.(Photo: Eric Seals, Detroit Free Press)

Michigan, which won its only NCAA championship in 1989, finished as national runner-up for the second time since 2013. The Wolverines won a program-record 33 games and captured their second straight Big Ten tournament title.

“They’ve done a great job,” said Jean Wilkins, a season-ticket holder and fan of 60 years. “They had a great season, improved over the course of the year. I was proud they got to the championship game.”

Fans rallied behind U-M during its run to San Antonio, something the Wolverines appreciated.

“I got the chills thinking about it,” first-year assistant coach Luke Yaklich said of the support. “Coach (John) Beilein said when I first got the job, ‘The block M is powerful, it’s different than anything you’ve ever experienced before.’

“The season culminates with, I don’t know, 20,000 people in the Staples Center. We just took over (Los Angeles). Thousands of miles away from Ann Arbor, we took over the Staples Center on our way to winning the West regional.

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Michigan basketball coach John Beilein talks with the media Tuesday, April 3, 2018 at Willow Run airport about the team's loss to Villanova in the NCAA championship game the previous night.
Eric Seals, Detroit Free Press

“Walking out of the hotel in San Antonio with 3,000 people and the band playing was the most amazing thing, from a fan and pride (perspective). I’ll be playing (the video) probably every day, every week.”

Security guards blocked the team’s entrance into Crisler, not knowing how many fans would show up.

“It’s really chilly, probably about 30 degrees, raining,” said Jeremiah McEwen, an event team member at Crisler. “Maybe if it was announced to the public, we could have had a bigger turnout.”